As U.S. pundits continue to dismiss Australia‘s FIFA World Cup chances, several Socceroos players have told ESPN they were relishing the prospect of facing the co-hosts on home soil, insisting their growing confidence could backfire.
Former USMNT player Mike Grella branded the matchup — which will see the sides meet in Seattle on June 19 for their second games in Group D — a “lay-up” for the United States during a CBS Sports segment.
He doubled down on the weekend, saying on a panel which included former Australian goalkeeper Mark Schwarzer: “If USA can’t beat Australia in a football match, stay home.”
His comments echoed those of U.S. great Landon Donovan, who labeled Socceroos coach Tony Popovic “smug” after the Australian boss said he was “satisfied” with the draw, while also predicting the Socceroos would finish bottom of Group D.
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But those predictions by U.S. pundits have only worked to incentivize the Socceroos camp to prove them wrong. Parma vice-captain Alex Circati, who will likely start in the heart of defense for Australia said the U.S. fixture was the matchup he had wanted most.
“I was telling my mates, if I wanted a game [against] either Mexico, Canada or the U.S. … and we got lucky enough to get [the USMNT], so I’m buzzing,” Circati told ESPN.
The 22-year-old was unfazed by the commentary coming from across the Pacific.
“To be honest, I don’t really care,” Circati said. “I think it’s a bit of an American approach to things, but it doesn’t really matter … too much talking can harm you sometimes — sometimes it’s better to bite your tongue and let the game play out.
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“We’re always going to be seen by the football world as underdogs. We’ll let the football do the talking.”
Circati is relishing the prospect of facing U.S. captain and AC Milan winger Christian Pulisic, with the players having faced each other in Serie A.
“I’ve actually got a very good relationship with Christian — it goes back a long way and we’ve crossed paths before,” he said. “He’s a great player. He’s probably their best player and their biggest threat.”
Similarly, Castellón winger Awer Mabil, 30, who was part of Australia’s 2022 World Cup squad in Qatar, said the pre-tournament noise had only piled unnecessary “pressure” on the hosts.
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“We as Australians are just focusing on going there and interrupting the party they’ve planned,” he told ESPN.
Mabil said Australia had dealt with similar scepticism before, pointing to the buildup to the 2022 World Cup, in which the Socceroos progressed from a group containing France, Denmark and Tunisia despite being widely dismissed beforehand.
“I remember France in the press conference saying they didn’t know any Australian players,” he said. “If you don’t respect us, it’s okay, but when we go onto that field, it’s an equal playing field.”
Colorado Rapids center back Lucas Herrington is also unfazed. He has endured jibes from his American teammates since joining the MLS club in January this year.
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“They think we’ll get smashed. They don’t rate Australian football, so we’re going to prove them wrong,” Herrington said.
Herrington, 18, added that the reaction from the U.S. camp had put “a bit of fire in the belly” ahead of the clash.
“Any game at a World Cup is special, but especially given I’m playing in the U.S. and a lot of the boys in the team are from the U.S., it’d be nice to get one over them,” he said.
